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Volvo 240 2.0

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Old Apr 10th, 2014, 17:07   #21
240T
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I'll keep my eye peeled for any GL and GLE's around the later 80's then, even though I think the GLE stopped in 86? If I'm correct.

Had a look on the Spax website, they're £205 but I did shop around a bit and found them for sale at £185. Would the best plan say, buy a £500 240GL and use the rest of my money to upgrade it?

Tim
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Old Apr 10th, 2014, 17:25   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cornish View Post
Would the best plan say, buy a £500 240GL and use the rest of my money to upgrade it?
my tuppence: you will always have to spend money upgrading/fixing issues, so if you can get an honest example that is sound & cheap and then spend the money to fix it, at least you know how it has been done rather than taking someone else's word it's been done.

e.g. if you were to buy the GLT for sale for £300, pay someone £300 to weld the arches and then pay another £400 sorting it out to your spec, you would have a car that's cost you £1k that has been sorted by you, to your spec.

A £1000 car will probably need the bushes/dampers/brakes/arches doing at some point anyway, but has cost you £700 more to start with

Assuming the base car isn't totally hanging, they can be upgraded and repaired easily and for not much cost, as long as you can swing a spanner

BTW I have no affiliation with the vendor, just using it as an example!!

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Old Apr 10th, 2014, 18:51   #23
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Agreed

Whatever you buy , any car, you must accept it needs work every year.

A lot of people I know will buy a car for around the 1K mark then moan when it needs mot work. I try and remind them that they could have took out finance at £200 a month for years and that spending money on an old motor is a better option, and even if it is more hassle is a damn sight cheaper than buying newer. Doing the work yourself is where the real savings start, not to mention the feeling of satisfaction gained.


IMO with 240s bodywork and general condition (interior too) is as important if not more so than milage and paper history as all you'll do all the routine stuff eventually on it anyhow
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Old Apr 10th, 2014, 20:12   #24
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Oh no I'm not complaining about doing any work, I'm a bit of a grease monkey as it is so. I mostly do my engineering on vintage aircraft and tractors (recently just overhauled a Ferguson 1953 TE20), so a Volvo is modern compared to what I'm used to.

I'll give it a service where needed once bought, and as these cars are gaining in price like all classics it only seems sense to buy them when they're affordable and keep them at a reasonable standard as I intend. I can do all the engine work fine, I agree, the key is in the body. Can't fancy having a rotten one but as you say the 240's are important.

Does the mpg differ between the GL and the GLE/GLT seeing as they are 300 odd cc's bigger?

Tim
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Old Apr 11th, 2014, 07:38   #25
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Tim,

Replying to a few points: Lesjofor lowering springs are good. (They are Volvo's OE spring supplier)

Similar fuel consumption between 2.0 and 2.3. My 245 turbo started as a 2.0 GL, and the B200E was livelier than I expected and pretty good to be honest. But a 2.3 is a bit nicer to drive, if you can get one.

If you're intending to modify the car, a GL can be a good starting point because they're less desirable and hence bargains can be found. DLs sometimes even cheaper, but beware, they are only 4-speed.

Another option is an SE, have you looked at those?

But, if you want to avoid the hassles of insuring a modified car, I'd hold out for a GLT, which is a nice, quite sporty drive in standard form.


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Old Apr 11th, 2014, 11:39   #26
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Did a few insurance quotes for a 240GL with suspension and break changes and it's only £1800, so only a £100 increase on a stock 240 to insure.

I did intend on buying a GLE, the only GLT's I can insure at reasonable price (the later GLT's are about £2100 to insure) are the earlier ones which are about £1800 fully comp.

I can wait around for an early GLT or GLE to pop up on the market, don't seem to be any around lately. The GL or GLE is perhaps the best starting point, it'll be my first car so don't fancy anything too 'sporty' perhaps. If you do know of any early GLT's for sale though I wouldn't pass up on the opportunity!

Tim
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Old Apr 12th, 2014, 13:25   #27
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"it's only £1800, so only a £100 increase on a stock 240 to insure."

EeeeeeeeK!!!!
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Old Apr 12th, 2014, 14:43   #28
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The 2.3 actually gets better economy than the 2.0, even according to the owner's handbook. Mostly it's because it's so much torquier you don't have to hoof it to get around.

At this point I'd say it's better to look out for a car with a solid body, no rust and good paint than anything else. Mechanical hiccups and ragged interiors can be fixed up easy as you like, there are lots of spares and knowledge and these cars are incredibly easy to work on, but rust and paint are a time and wallet killer on any car.

To be honest, I'd recommend against the GLE. It gets some more of the plush options, but none of the 'sporty' ones, and the B230K engine can be a real dog. It's fitted with the infamous solex-cisac carb which nobody knows anything about and no spares are available for, Renix electronic ignition which there are no bloody spares available for and hardly anyone knows anything about and a unique cylinder head and pistons which aren't compatible with any of the other redblock engines should you need to swap the head. the B230K also suffers from a pain-in-the backside EGR system, air injection system (pulsair) and a spider's web of vacuum hoses that none of the other engines had to deal with. Basically it was Volvo's attempt to make an 'economy' engine in the 80s, which like most other manufacturers only succeeded at increasing complexity unnecessarily.

I'd say go for a GLT, or see if you can find a late GL or SE with the 2.3. Late 2.3s are much rarer than the 2.0, but you're getting the best engine fitted to the 200 series in the B230F in terms of economy, and with a few tweaks you can easily equal the B230E in the GLT in terms of power.

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Old Apr 12th, 2014, 19:58   #29
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Quote:
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"it's only £1800, so only a £100 increase on a stock 240 to insure."

EeeeeeeeK!!!!
£1800 for a 17/almost 18 year old is cheap insurance for a first car!
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Old Apr 12th, 2014, 20:03   #30
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I'll keep a look out for the GLT's and the late GL's. I don't think anymore GLE's will pop up on the market perhaps par the Purley one which has sold, but I'll keep my eyes peeled. Checking carandclassic, Autotrader and Ebay for the odd 240 that tickles my fancy..

I do know the GLT's seats are far far comfier and offer a bit more room than a GL as I've found! I'm just under 6'8, so it's all much better to have the room. I plan on changing the steering wheel for perhaps a smaller one, so.

Cheers for the advice chaps by the way, really appreciate it! If you know of any 240's on the market soon, give me a shout please.

Tim
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